Battery terminal clamp



June 7, 1932. G. H. CHRISTENSEN BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP Filed Jan. 5l, 1931 am 52.4% QW;

Patented June 7, 1932 UNETED STATES yPATENT oFFica GARRETT H. CHRISTENSEN, OF CLIFTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE O. CHRISTENSEN, OF CLIFTON, ILLINOIS BATTERY TERMINAL CLAMP Application filed January 31, 1931. Serial No. 512,731.

My present invention has reference to the terminal of storage batteries, and has for one of its objects to simplify and improve the construction and increase the eiliciency and utility oi devices of this character.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects which will present themselves as the nature of the invention is better understood, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and operation of parts, one satisfactory embodiment of which is disclosed by the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is aplan view of the improvement.

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the terminal clamped ona battery post in accordance with this invention.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the improvement removed from the terminal.

Figure 4 is a detail elevation to illustrate the clamp arranged vertically or at a right angle with respect to the showing of Figure 2.

In thedrawing the numeral 1 designates a battery post and 2 a split terminal of the ordinary construction. The terminal has its non-split end provided with the usual eye for the unsheathed portion of the covered conductor. The arms at the split end of the terminal 2 are provided with the usual bolt openings. The clamps constituting my improvement comprise two cooperating angle members 3 and 4, respectively. The normally parallel arms 5 and 6 of the members 3 and 4 have inwardly directed lugs 6 and 7, respectively, to be received in the bolt opening in the spaced arms of the terminal 2. The second angle arm 8 of the clamp member 3 merges into a threaded shank 9. The under face of the arm 8 is fiat or is arranged at a right angle with respect to the arm 5, but the outer face of the said arm is tapered from its outer corner to the shank 9 and is round in cross section. The arm 4 of the clamp section 4 is provided with an opening for the bolt portion of the shank 9 of the clamp 3 and they angle arm 10 of the said clamp member 4 has its lower face provided with a longitudinal depression 11, the wall provided by the depression being round and being tapered from the outer to the inner end of the arm. The

outer end of the arm 10 is rounded, as at 12, to the grooved portion 11 thereof. The arm y10 also is inclined in the direction of the arm 8 of the clamp section 3. The bolt or threaded shank 9 is engaged by a nut 13, and by tightening this nut the clamp section'4 will be caused to move longitudinally on the clamp section 3, bringing the lugs 6 and 7 thereof into the openings 14 of the spaced arms 15 of the terminal 2, it being, of course, understood that the terminal is arranged over the battery post 1. As the nut is adjusted the angle arm 10 of the clamp 4 will ride over the cross sectional rounded and tapered outer surface oi' the arm 8 of the clamp section 3 without biting into the said arm 8.

By a construction as just described it will be apparent that a single wrench is required only in adjusting the nut on the shank 9 and that the clamp may be arranged longitudinally in the same plane as the terminal or at right angles thereto, as disclosedby Figure 4 or' the drawing. In either position the operator has free access to the nut.

The clamp replaces the bolt that usually binds the arms 15 of the terminal. The lugs 6 and 7 keep the clamp from working off of the terminal. One of these lugs is preferably round and the other square so that the squared lug will engage with the squared walls of the bore or opening 14 in one of the arms 15 of the terminal and thereby hold the clamp from turning on the terminal. The terminal clamp can be used on either positive or negative battery terminals. The device is moreveasily applied than are devices for a similar purpose and will, as stated, give more clearance between the clamp nut and the battery cover so that the nut can be readily screwed on or unscrewed from the shank or bolt 9, and when the nut is screwed home it is almost impossible to spread the terminal. The device will double the life of a battery terminal as the clamp exerts more pressure on the terminal next to the battery post and does not bend the terminal in a circle as is common when a bolt and nut are employed. The improvement provides ample space for supplying grease or other material that tends to stop corrosion around the clamp and terminal, and will lengthen the life of the battery as the application or removal thereof does not necessitate the employment of a screw driver and hammer for spreading the arms of the terminal. The clamp is preferably of steel and is coated with lead to ret-ard corrosion.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A split battery cable terminal having its arms provided with alining bolt openings7 and a clamp for compressing the arms of the terminal7 said clamp comprising two angle members that have normally parallel ends provided on their inner faces with lugs to be received in the bolt openings of the terminal, the outer angle portion of one of the clamp members being round in cross section and tilted and merged into a threaded shank which is received through the lug carrying arm of the cooperating clamp, the angle end of the last mentioned clamp being inclined and having its upper face formed with a longitudinal tapered groove to ride over the rounded outer face of the cooperating clamp and a nut screwed on the shank for adjusting the clamp members with respect to each other and with respect to the battery cable terminal.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GARRETT H. CHRISTENSEN. 

